MLS 2012, Week 8: Nine Matches, One Day

Major League Soccer 2012, Week 8: What We Learned

Week 8 in MLS had plenty of late game drama, missed penalty kicks and one big injury to Thierry Henry.

LA Galaxy Vs. FC Dallas, 2012 MLS: Final Score 1-1, Noonan Goal Earns LA Split

The LA Galaxy and FC Dallas drew 1-1 in a pretty boring match at the Home Depot Center. The Galaxy had the better of chances from open play, with Landon Donovan hitting the post after breaking through the Dallas in the first half and Juninho buzzing the top of the net as the game drew to a close.

By that point, the hosts had already missed a penalty - Robbie Keane hitting just wide from the spot after Jair Benitez bundled over Landon Donovan in the box - and Dallas had gone ahead through a penalty of their own, Brek Shea slotting in following Bill Gaudette's foul on Blas Perez just outside the six yard box. It looked like the Galaxy were in trouble as the seconds ticked away, but Pat Noonan was on hand to salvage a point very late on when he latched onto a cutback from Robbie Keane and blasted past Chris Seitz to secure a point for the hosts. They won't be pleased with that, but it sure beats a home loss.

VIDEO: Marco Pappa Scores Olimpico

Real Salt Lake Vs. Toronto FC, 2012 MLS: RSL Nabs Late Winner Against Plucky TFC

Toronto FC was not supposed to have a chance against Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium. They had zero points on the season and RSL is, well, RSL. Even so, the Reds played very well and were even better than RSL at times, but soccer isn't always fair. A last second goal got Salt Lake a winner and sent Toronto home in disbelief with a 3-2 loss.

Salt Lake were first on the board when a free kick found Jamison Olave all the way at the back post. He nodded the ball back across the face of goal, where Kyle Beckerman was a foot off the goal line to head it home for the goal that would give them a lead at halftime.

Eric Avila had the play of the game, and possibly the goal of the week just after the halftime break. He picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and looked down Olave, one of the best defenders in MLS. Apparently, nobody told Avila how good Olave is because he made the defender look silly, dancing around him while Olave fell to the ground before cooly slotting the ball in the side netting for a gorgeous equalizer.

Avila almost added a second, but he was denied by the post and then, in true TFC style, they put the ball in their own net. Richard Eckersley tried a diving header to clear a tantalizing cross by Fabian Espindola, only he put it in his own net and the home side were back in front.

Undeterred, Toronto came right back and poured on the pressure and Doneil Henry made it pay off in the 77th minute with an equalizer. The Reds kept coming at RSL, looking nothing like a team in search of their first point and they were unfortunate not to get another chance or two.

They were even more unfortunate in injury time when Salt Lake got the winner. Johnny Steele benefited from some good play by Beckerman and Javier Morales to nab a late winner that was a punch in the gut for TFC.

Colorado Rapids Vs. Chivas USA, 2012 MLS: Goats' Road Run Comes To An End

Chivas USA had been the best road team in MLS, picking up three points left and right. Sure, they were dreadful at home, but they always had the road. At least they used to always have the road. The Colorado Rapids topped them at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, ending the Goats' road run with a 4-0 win.

It wasn't as if Chivas were poor in Colorado. They had chances with five corners and numerous other opportunities. Miller Bolanos just missed the net once and Matt Pickens made a fine double save to keep the Goats off of scoreboard. On one of Chivas' corner kicks the ball ended up in a mess of bodies before popping up and off the crossbar, but it just wouldn't go over the line.

The Rapids did have their fair share of the ball, though, and with the match pretty even, they were the team that got the breakthrough. A corner kick found Tony Cascio at the back post, where he chested it down and turned with a left-footed shot. It somehow found its way through all of the traffic and in for the opener.

Late on, the Rapids poured it on. First, Kamani Hill got a goal in the 82nd minute, then Jeff Larentowicz added one two minutes later before Hill added a second in injury time and Colorado had themselves a good win.

Chicago Fire Vs. Seattle Sounders, 2012 MLS: Eddie Johnson Scores Game-Winner

David Estrada scored his fifth goal and Eddie Johnson added his first MLS goal since 2007 as the Seattle Sounders beat the Chicago Fire 2-1 on Saturday. Johnson also was credited with an assist on Estrada's goal, which was initially ruled an own goal after it deflected off defender Arne Friedrich.

Johnson's goal wasn't exactly pretty either, but he'll surely take it. Johnson was able to pounce a free ball that was sitting just in front of the goal mouth following a Jhon Kennedy Hurtado shot. The former United States international also hit a ball off the post.

Just as significant as Johnson opening his account was the play of the defense. The Sounders ran their shutout streak to 336 minutes before Marco Pappa scored directly off a corner kick in the 89th minute that was aided by the heavy wind. The Fire were able to apply some pressure in stoppage time, but ultimately were unable to find the equalizer.

The game nearly was allowed to get out of hand after the final whistle when tempers began to overflow. There was lots of pushing and shoving and Brad Evans and Pappa appeared particularly upset with one another, but the field was cleared without further incident.

The win keeps the Sounders undefeated all time against the Fire, improving their MLS record to 4-0-3. The Sounders also beat the Fire in last year's U.S. Open Cup final.

Ever Wonder What Gus Johnson Goal Calls Sound Like?

DC United Vs. Houston Dynamo, 2012 MLS: Houston Defense Goes Missing In 3-2 DC Win

Houston defense, where art thou? What was once the strength of the Houston Dynamo team seems to have gone missing, maybe a casualty of playing nothing but road games as they wait for the stadium to be complete, but the Houston defense has looked very leaky of late. That continued on Saturday, when even Will Bruin's brace couldn't help salvage a shoddy defensive display in a 3-2 D.C. United victory.

Maicon Santos scored the first goal of the game, but it was largely due to the fantastic ball by Brandon McDonald and speed of Chris Pontius. McDonald's long ball caught the Houston defense napping and Pontius' speed not only got him the ball, but got him around Tally Hall, who foolishly came out to try and collect the ball. Without a goalkeeper in the net, Pontius just had to get a cross to Santos, which he did, for the simple header to put D.C. in front.

That goal kept D.C. in front through halftime, but things got wild in the second half. First, Jermaine Taylor's great run allowed him to get free down the right before crossing to the top of the six-yard box. That's where Bruin met it and the match was even.

Four minutes later, D.C. was back in front. Dwayne De Rosario crossed from the right and the two runners down the middle forced Hall to freeze in the middle of the goal. The problem is that neither D.C. runner got a piece of the ball, so De Rosario's cross curled in, caught the back post and bounced in for the go-ahead goal.

Once again, Bruin wouldn't let that lead last, although Joe Willis helped him out this time. Bruin hopped on a bad giveaway by D.C., and while he hit a hard shot from 20 yards, it was right at Willis. Despite having a simple, straightforward save to make, Willis allowed the ball to squirt through his hands and the two teams were level again.

Santos had an answer for Bruin's brace, though. Daniel Woolard's cross found Santos unmarked in the middle of the box, but he was moving away from goal so it was a tough finish. Santos' header looped up, forcing Hall into a full stretch, and while he did get a hand to the ball, he didn't get enough of a hand to it. It went off the underside of the bar and in for the match winner and Santos' sixth of the year.

Columbus Crew Vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 2012 MLS: Crew Somehow Lose

The Columbus Crew are probably sitting in their locker room trying to figure out how they don't have three points. Worse, they don't even have one. Despite dominating possession, generating almost all of the chances and completely outplaying the Vancouver Whitecaps, Columbus fell on Saturday at Crew Stadium, 1-0.

From the very start, the Crew were all over the Whitecaps. Eddie Gaven and Josh Williams each scored early on, but both were disallowed. Gaven almost scored two other times and Josh Williams came close himself, hitting a great bicycle kick, but his shot hit the bar and bounced away. Tony Tchani put one of his opportunities into the side netting and Aaron Schoenfeld's shot that looked goal bound was just tipped past the post by Joe Cannon.

It was all Crew, which made what happened in the 74th minute so tough for the home side. Young-Pyo Lee had a free kick from well to the right that nobody expected him to have a go on and he didn't. He tried to his a ball into the box for one of the many Whitecaps players looking to get on the end of it, but it drifted towards the far post. Andy Gruenebaum never thought the ball would be towards goal so he took his first step out, which proved to be disastrous because the ball sailed over his head, off the inside of the post and in for what proved to be the winner.

Columbus brought more pressure late, but the soccer gods were not on their side. All of their fine play would go for naught in a tough loss for the Crew, and fortunate win for the Whitecaps, who will gladly take the three points.

Philadelphia Union Vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 2012 MLS: Steven Lenhart Scores Twice In Victory

Steven Lenhart scored a pair of goals, the second of which came in the third minute of stoppage time, to lead the San Jose Earthquakes to a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday. Both goals came off assists from Marvin Chavez.

Both goals were impressive, but the second one was especially so. Chavez spun around several defenders, then sent in a left-footed cross from about 35 yards out. Lenhart fought off a pair of Union defenders and was able to head it past Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath.

The Union had appeared poised to salvage a point when Gabriel Gomez scored the equalizer in the 83rd minute. Gomez was able to collect a loose ball around the edge of the penalty area and was able to beat Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch inside the near post.

Lenhart had given the Earthquakes the first lead of the game about seven minutes earlier. The big forward got his head on the end of a Marvin Chavez cross in the 76th minute. The play was started on a nice entry pass from Chris Wondolowsk, who fed Chavez inside the penalty area.

That the Earthquakes ultimately found the winner was probably justice. In the 90th minute, Ike Opara had appeared to give the Earthquakes the lead, but his goal was incorrectly ruled offside.

New York Red Bulls Vs. New England Revolution, 2012 MLS: Ryan Meara Gets First Career Shutout

Let it be known that the New York Red Bulls registered their first shutout of the season while fielding a defense that was led by a rookie goalkeeper, featured two defenders who were making their first starts of the season and another one who was making his second start. In fact, their most experienced starting defender was Markus Holgersson, a 27-year-old Swede who had struggled significantly this year.

But against a New England Revolution team that had scored just five goals in their first six matches, the Red Bulls were able to ride 7th minute Thierry Henry goal to a 1-0 victory on Saturday. That was Henry's league-leading ninth goal, as he was able to beat Stephen McCarthy to the pass and chipped Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis on his first touch from about 20 yards out. Henry, though, had to leave the match in the 25th minute with what the team called a right hamstring strain. After the game, Red Bulls coach Hans Backe called it "a disaster for us."

Luckily for the Red Bulls, Meara made sure that wasn't the only thing people would be talking about after the game. Meara was credited with five saves, the biggest of which came in stoppage time when he dove to his left to knock away a Lee Nguyen attempt that seemed destined for the far post. Meara also robbed Benny Feilhaber twice in the second half, once on a free header from about 5 yards out.

The Red Bulls were mostly forced to defend after Henry's injury. The Revolution ended up with nearly 60 percent of the possession, but were never able to create any kind of sustained pressure.

Montreal Impact Vs. Portland Timbers, 2012 MLS: Impact Come On Late For Win

In a battle of this year's expansion team and last year's expansion team, this year's expansion team came out in front. The Montreal Impact, playing on their rock hard turf that nobody ever wants to have to watch a match on ever, took down the Portland Timbers, 2-0, to keep the Timbers in the Western Conference basement.

Montreal had the better of the play for most of the contest. It wasn't that Portland was awful, but Montreal's pressure forced them into some mistakes, while the Timbers struggled to force the same mistakes from the Impact. Even so, much of the game passed without the Impact being able to take advantage of it.

Finally in the 76th minute, the Impact got their first goal as the referee awarded a controversial penalty. Collen Warner's shot bounced off of Steven Smith's leg then in the area of his arm. The referee deemed it to be a handball, even though the arm was near his body and it was a very quick play, which obviously upset the Timbers. Still, it was ruled a penalty, which Barnardo Corradi converted to give the Impact the lead.

Eight minutes later, Montreal put the game to bed. Davy Arnaud got the ball wide and crossed low, across the frame. Joe Bendik, who came on for an injured Troy Perkins, tried to get to the cross, but didn't get to it in time. That left Sinisa Ubiparipovic all alone at the back post for the easiest of tap ins as Montreal collected three points.

MLS 2012, Week 8 Preview And Fixtures: Nine Matches, One Day

It's a MLS mega day with nine matches on Saturday that could be the best, or maybe the worst, or maybe meh, but there will be a lot of it!